hurley



(No Model.)

J. S. HURLEY.

THILL TUG.

Patented Apr. 7, 1891.

INVENT URI ABNMTUN, n. c.

Units J OHN-S. HURLEY, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO MICHAELHURLEY, OF SAME PLACE.

THlLL-TUG.

- SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 449,906, dated April'7, 1891.

7 Application filed June 27, 1890. Serial No. 366E137. (N0 model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN S. HURLEY, of Lynn, in the county of Essex andState of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Thill-Tugs, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is an improvement upon the construction shown in LettersPatent granted to John S. Hurley, the present applicant, and Eugene H.Taylor; July 1, 1890, No. 431,467; and it consists in the details ofconstruction hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a thill-tug provided with myimprovements. Fig. 2 represents an edge view of the same. Fig. 3represents a section on line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all thefigures.

In the drawings, a represents the hookshaped body or main section of thethill-tug, the same being made of a suitable metal and comprising oneside and the bottom portion of the tug, its lower portion being formedto receive and support the thill.

1) represents the hinged section, which is connected at its upper end bya hinge pintle or pivot c to the section a, the said sections havinghinge-ears d and (1' formed on their upper ends, through which the pinpasses, the ears of one section alternating with those of the othersection. The hinged section b is formed to extend across-the open sideof the section a and to bear at its swinging end on the correspondingend of said section a, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the arrangement beingsuch that the section b swings outwardly to open the tug for insertionof the thill and inwardly to close the tug after the thill is in place.

e represents a locking-lever, which is connected by a pivot-pin e toears '2' "L on the hinged section b, said ears being at or near theswinging end of said section. The lever projects downwardly beyond theend of the section b, and is provided with a tongue e which projectsinwardly and is adapted to enter a slot g, formed for its reception inthe section a, near-the end of the latter, on which the hinged sectionbears.

The construction above described is substantially identical with thatshown in the patent above referred to, and in said patent is also showna spring 71., composed of a strip of metal attached at one end to theupperportion of the hinged section b, and bearing at its lower portionagainst the upper end of the locking-lever e, said spring being exposedupon the outer side of the tug, and therefore liable to be bent orbroken by contact with external objects.

In carrying out the present invention, I substitute for the spring shownin the above-mentioned patent a spiral spring h, which is inserted in arecess or cavity is, formed in the hinged section b, and is arranged topress upon the upper portion of the locking-lever 0, through the mediumof abolt orstud m, fitted to slide in the socket 7t, and is pressed bythe spring 7L against the tug 6, formed 011 the looking-lever 6, abovethe pivot e thereof. The portion of the hinged section b that constitutes the outer side of the socket is and covers the spring h andstud m is extended downwardly to form a hood 11, covering the upperportion of the locking-lever and the lug e thereon and preventing theentrance of rain, dirt, &c., into the crevice at the upper end of thelocking-lever and into the socket 7;.

It will be seen from the foregoing that by inclosing the spring h in asocket arranged as shown in Fig. 3, said spring is entirely protected,so that it cannot be bent or broken by contact with external objects,and that the employment of the hood n prevents said spring from beingclogged by ice or accumulations of dust and dirt.

I have further improved the construction of the tug by forming a concaverecess 12 in the body portion a of the tug, said recess being under theslot g, and arranged to permit the insertion of a thumb or finger underthe lower end of the locking-lever for the purpose of forcing the latteroutwardly to release the hinged section. It will be seen that by theprovision of the recess 29 I am enabled to form the locking-lever sothat its lower end does not project outwardly from the outer side of thetug to such an extent as in the Hurley and Taylor patent abovereferred-to, so that the said locking-lever is less liable to be caughtand pulled outwardly by accidental means than heretofore. If desired,the spiral spring h may be extended so as to bear directly on the tug e,the sliding stud m being omitted. 5 m represents a buckle, which isconnected to the upper end of the main section a.

I c1aim- 1. The improved thill-tug composed of the main section a andthe section b, hinged at its upper end to the section a and provided atits lowerend with the downwardly-projecting pivoted locking-lever c,adapted to engage a slot in the main section and with the socket 70, thespring h, inclosed. in said socket to exert pressure on thelocking-lever, and the downwardly-projecting hood 01, arranged to coverthe mouth of the socket 7c and the upper end of the locking-lever,whereby the access of dirt, &c., into said socket is prevented, as setforth.

2. The improved thill-tug composed of the main section a, having therecess 19, and the hinged section I), provided at its swinging end withthe locking-lever having a tongue adapted to engage said main section,the lower end of the said lever projecting below said tongue and beingarranged adjacent to the recess 19, so that space is afforded by saidrecess behind the lower end of the locking-lever for the insertion of athumb or finger, as set forth. 0

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses, this 26th day of June, A. D.1890.

JOHN S. IIURLEY.

Witnesses:

C. F. BROWN, EWING W. HAMLEN.

